Fargo State Senator Jon Casper Considering Insurance Commissioner Race

Earlier this week we learned that nine year Republican incumbent Adam Hamm would not be seeking a third term as Insurance Commissioner.

“That’s a lot of time dealing with Obamacare on a daily basis, dealing with fallout from Dodd-Frank which had an impact on insurance,” he told me. “It’s time to let someone else serve.”

So far Democrats have announced a potential candidate for the race, but I can report that at least one potential Republican candidate is considering. State Senator Jon Casper, who represents District 27 in Fargo, has told me he’s thinking of running for the slot.

[mks_pullquote align=”right” width=”300″ size=”24″ bg_color=”#ffffff” txt_color=”#000000″]”I’m very happy right now with my career and the opportunity to serve in the ND Senate; that being said, I’m humbled to have had a number of leaders across ND encourage me to run, so I’m going to give the position and potential campaign serious thought,” he told me via email this evening.[/mks_pullquote]

“I’m very happy right now with my career and the opportunity to serve in the ND Senate; that being said, I’m humbled to have had a number of leaders across ND encourage me to run, so I’m going to give the position and potential campaign serious thought,” he told me via email this evening.

Casper was first elected to his seat in 2014, and completed his first session in the state Senate earlier this year. He works as an attorney in Fargo, and worked for former Congressman Rick Berg during his one term in the U.S. House.

The Insurance Commissioner slot is one that, like most state offices in North Dakota, has historically been dominated by Republicans. Out of the 21 Insurance Commissioners to serve the State of North Dakota since statehood in 1889 just 4 have been Democrats.

Two Democrats, former U.S. Congressman Earl Pomeroy and Glenn Pomeroy, teamed up to hold the office from 1985 to 2000. Democrat Byron Knutson held the office for one term, from 1977 to 1980. Before that no Democrat had held the seat since James Cudhie held it for the Demcoratic-Independent Party from 1893-1894.

Hamm’s immediate successor was Republican Jim Poolman who stepped down to work in the private sector in 2007 and is currently the Vice Chariman of the NDGOP.